I use to have a sidebar on my previous blogs but I didn't like that I couldn't keep it organized enough so I ditched it and all my blogs are one column like the blog you're currently reading. (One column is a blog with no sidebar/Two columns is a blog with one sidebar/Three columns is a blog with two sidebars, etc.)
The sidebar is where you put the things relevant to your blog such as a small mini bio, useful things like blog archives, translator tools, all the little things significance things but it really depends on the blogger.
I think it's hard to maintain a neat, organized sidebar so I chose to put all sidebar things onto the footer so the foot is basically my sidebar except it's at the bottom of the blog. I guess a footer can also be a bit chaotic but you don't see it until you scroll down. In my footer, I have blog archive, post labels, a small mini bio, the followers gadget, a search tool, a translate tool and a little note - seven things and a return home link and below that the navbar which you can only see if you mouseover that empty space. This may sound like a lot but it isn't. [Update: I moved the navbar to the top of the blog which is still only visible when mouseover.]
Now with responsive blogs, sidebars sometimes get shifted to the bottom (and header & other elements might shrinks or enlarge) to fit the size of a browser window. But that didn't mean sidebars are not needed. I think sidebars are necessary but they don't have to be on the side of a blog.
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Having used Google's Blogger for years, my opinions are completely biased. Blogger does have its downsides just like any other platform. It's a bit outdated (Google haven't updated it in years) and they removed a lot of useful features (like follow by email) but they are still free and they don't put advertisement in your blogs.
I did try out Blogger first but then I tried Wordpress (the free version, wordpress.com) for a few months and decided I just didn't like it enough. Not because you can't change the template (you have to pay to alter it) or the advisements they put in your blog – I just find the interface unfriendly and harder to use. Some people find Wordpress much easier than Blogger and some people (like me) find Blogger easier.
Over the years, I have seen many Blogger users switched to Wordpress. The errors, issues, problems they claimed seemed easy enough to overcome but maybe it seemed that way to me because I never had many problems with Blogger. I have seen bloggers switched from Wordpress to Blogger a few times and it's always surprising but nice. They too offered much the same reasons about errors and such for switching. But I think if you want to switch platforms, you don't need an excuse. Even though I want people to use Blogger, I won't try to convince people to switch. Everyone should choose the platform that fits them and their comfort. Whether you use Wordpress or Blogger or other platforms, I hope you continue to blog because some of us (mainly me) prefer blogs over social media.
Do you like sidebars? Which platform do you prefer when blogging?


Jamie (jannghi.blpgspot.com): I agree that even though Blogger has its downsides, I like that it's free.
ReplyDeleteJamie: That's the main draw - it's free. Sometimes you have to accept the bad with the good.
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I tried Wordpress-not a fan. So (obviously) I went to Blogger. It is isn't perfect. Then again, neither am I. So there's that.
ReplyDeleteAl Penwasser: No platform is perfect just as no one is.
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I like side bars and have them. However, mine need to be updated. I thought about going to Wordpress, but stuck with Blogger because of familiarity. Blogger does frustrate me at times, but it's free.
ReplyDeleteLive and Learn: I like familiarity. Besides, having used Blogger for so long, it's hard to change. Besides, it's working so I don't see a reason to change. Sometimes you do need to update your blog a bit.
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I've been with Blogger since I started blogging 18 years ago and will continue with Blogger. Yes, it's not perfect but it's free and I'm familiar with it. I like having a right-hand sidebar but I need to update my blogroll -- it's horribly out of date. But there's just so many hours in the day!
ReplyDeleteDebra: Blogrolls are a bit harder to update. But if you have the time update, if you don't, don't. Sometimes I get lazy so I don't update.
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I have never tried Wordpress and don't plan to. I'm happy with Blogger. I do prefer my original layout which had two sidebars, but this one took so long to set up I can't be bothered going through all that again to get my original look back.
ReplyDeleteRiver: I see nothing wrong with sticking with what you have. Sometimes it's just easier.
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Blogger! I tried WordPress, twice even, and had it in a bleeding mess within ten minutes. I can't wrap my mind around how it works. And then suddenly I had to sign in with my no longer existing WP account to comment on WP blogs, which took me almost six months to finally have sorted out by some nice WP-people. Blogger can frustrate me no end - and often does - but I've taught myself enough HTML to mostly put it right. The feature I miss most is the small tool icon that let me edit elements in the sidebars without having to go via the dashboard.
ReplyDeleteI think you should stay were you are, because I've so many times seen people change platform - mostly from Blogger to WP - and then stop blogging within a very short time.
Sidebars or footers is as you say not of great importance, the important thing is that they are somewhere. I have sidebars just because I find it easier, I don't find them messy as long as there's no moving objects in them and they're easier to find for my readers. I actually have a footer as well with elements in it so a four column blog for me ;)
The only thing I do not like about your blog is that you've put the navbar down there. I often use the search function contained therein and never found it on your blog. But smart to have it invisible unless you mouse over it. I'll try and see if that's possible in my chosen theme.
Charlotte: Blogger can also frustrate me but I can usually get it to work so it's not so bad. I also miss the tool for editing gadgets and such right on the blog without going to the dashboard.
DeleteThere is a strange phenomenon of people switching platforms and then stop blogging - I've seen this happened tons of times. Couldn't reason why this is happens.
Footers and sidebars are mostly the same, just different placement. I guess I'm too much of a neat-freak so I find sidebars a bit chaotic.
I'm thinking now I should put the navbar back at the top but still invisible until mouseover. I do have a search tool in the footer.
Thank you for dropping by. Have a lovely day.
During the pandemic, I made the jump to self-hosted and it was nightmare. I could not resolve the issue with the commenting, and I just didn't see the point of paying either. I did like the block editor. It was very clean. The HTML generated in Blogger is a little messy. I also liked the commenting system better in WP. I could approve and reply from the admin area. With blogger, I have to approve and then go to each comment on the post to reply. Bloggers notifications for replies is annoying too, but, it's free.
ReplyDeleteSamantha: Having never quite gotten to like Wordpress, I do like their comment systme better but still a bit not quite use to them as a reader. Sometimes the only way to comment is to sign into wordpress or some social media which I couldn't do.
DeleteThank you for dropping by. Have a lovely day.